From the end of 2018 to now, brown people have been killing it in the entertainment industry.
Three well-known comedians have or are going to have their own shows aired on the media platforms Netflix, Hulu and NBC.
Hasan Minhaj’s show “The Patriot Act” has been a Netflix success. It is such a well-liked and talked about show — especially with millennials because of Minhaj’s skill of incorporating comedy and politics.
His show has been a hit since it aired. A part of its success is due to his Netflix comedy special “Homecoming King.” If you have not watched that yet, it is definitely worth checking out.
That comedy special has been the most relatable hour of my life. Coming from an immigrant family like his, the experiences he had growing up were — and still are — similar, if not exactly the same as mine.
Although he is quite older than myself, having a similar family background made me feel connected to him.
Not everyone follows or understands politics, including myself, so a mixture of comedy makes it easier to understand and not so boring.
Minhaj tends to incorporate Indian/Desi references into his show which I find fun and as a way to connect to the show. One of my favorites is when he references Bollywood movies and somehow connects it to the topic he is discussing in a relevant way.
Next is YouTube star Lilly Singh, who will now be the first woman and Indian to host her very own late-night talk show.
It is a truly huge moment for brown comedians, especially women, for Singh to be getting a late-night show that men have always had.
I have watched Singh since she started her YouTube channel and she made content tailored mainly for a younger Indian/brown audience.
Her content was relatable and at that time, it was rare to find her type of content on a media platform.
It is exciting to see how much she has accomplished on YouTube alone, and now she has an even bigger platform to spread culture, comedy and positivity.
Comedian Ramy Youssef has his own Hulu show mainly based on his life as a Muslim Egyptian millennial. This is the first show on Hulu — or any network — based on, and told by, a Muslim American. Youssef’s show excites me because he dabbles with faith, love and parents.
He does incorporate other things, but in true brown culture the pressure of pleasing your parents with the right career choice, figuring out what faith means to you — separate from what parents have taught us — and lastly love, those are very important.
Brown parents tend to be stricter on dating and who you can date. They usually want someone who is similar to them in faith, color and region.
It will be interesting to see a show where serious topics that are very relevant in brown millennials’ lives are incorporated into comedy.
I truly believe that this is only the beginning for millennials, especially for those of South Asian descent.